Diane Hess

Born in Hornell, New York on September 8, 1943, she was the only daughter of Marjorie (Bell) and Seth "Mayo" Wright. She grew up in the small town of Canaseraga, New York with three brothers. Her parents owned a gas station in town, where she and her brothers worked, and were well-known upstanding members of their small community. As her mother was an English teacher, Diane worked hard in school, focusing on her studies and graduated Salutatorian from Canaseraga High School.

While in high school, Diane met the love of her life, Bob Hess. Diane was a cheerleader and Bob was on the basketball team. They traveled on the school bus together to all the games, and were seldom apart. Living in a small town there wasn't much to do so they would go to 10 cent movies and stay out late driving around.

Following high school, Diane went to college in Alfred, New York. Bob was working for Kodak in Rochester, New York. The three hours between was too much and Bob asked Diane to come live with him. They married in a little white church in Canaseraga on October 13, 1962. They were blessed with two daughters, Kimberly and Cheryl. Diane worked for a while alongside Bob at Kodak until they realized her time was better spent at home. In the fall of 1971, Bob was offered a better position with Kodak at the new plant in Colorado, so off to the mountains they went. They settled in Loveland where they built their home and welcomed their son, Bobby.

Diane was a professional wife and mother who was dedicated to her family. Her family was her everything. She was ever-involved in the lives of her children, keeping them active in 4-H, and teaching them all the domestic skills she had mastered including gardening, cooking, baking, and cake-decorating. They spent plenty of time in the Colorado outdoors, whether it be hiking or horseback riding or time away at the cabin. Diane worked hard to raise her children to value family as much as she did. At her insistence, everyone was home every Sunday for dinner. Sundays were for family and for the Broncos.

Diane loved entertaining. To Diane, everyone was welcome because everyone was family. She hosted family dinners and holidays, and coordinated week-long reunions for the Hess & Wright families. Each day was carefully planned with a different theme, fun activities and lots of food. She was an exceptional cook and loved feeding people. She was never short on snacks for the grandkids. She loved sharing her love of cooking and her recipes with her children.

When Diane wasn't cooking or caring for her family, she was probably shopping. She loved shopping, flea-marketing, and garage-saling. And she loved a good bargain. She spent many an hour clipping coupons and planning her outings to make sure she was getting all the best deals. She and Bob bowled together in a co-ed league, and after Bob retired, they traveled to Florida every March to spend time together with family.

Diane was about as close to perfect as a person could be. She was kind and giving, almost to a fault. She always put others before herself. In Diane's mind, no one could do wrong. She never judged. She just loved and accepted everyone, just as they were. She was warm and welcoming and always had time for the people she loved. While she will always be remembered for her famous macaroni salad and her raspberry jam, it is the true love and compassion she had for not just the people around her, but for all, that will never be forgotten. She will be dearly missed.

Diane leaves behind a beautiful legacy. She is survived by her husband of 63 years, Bob Hess, and her children, Kim Shaw (Bill), Cheri Pimple (Gary), and Bobby Hess (Devon). She was a loving grandmother to Justin Shaw (Logan), Jessica Shaw, Lexi Pimple (fiancé Mick), Tyler Pimple, and Lee Carnahan (Danielle); and great-grandmother to Dawson, Bennett, Brynlea, Jaxson, Blakely, Benjamin, and Gracelyn, all of whom she loved so very much. She is also survived by her brother Ron, and brothers-in-law John and Pete, and sisters-in-law Treva and Sara, as well as numerous nieces & nephews, extended family, and many dear friends.

She was preceded in death by her parents, Mayo & Marjorie Wright, brothers Steve and Dave, brothers-in-law Roger and Lew, sister-in-law Lucy, and by Bob's parents.

A Celebration of Diane's Life will be held on Friday, October 24, 2025 at 11am at Resthaven Funeral Home in Fort Collins. Please join her family and stay for a reception to follow and for a time of fellowship, laughter & remembrance, and one last meal with Diane.

For those that may not be able to attend services in person, Diane's Celebration of Life will be viewable virtually via livestream here: https://client.tribucast.com/tcid/c251037927685

In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made to the Food Bank of Larimer County. Treasured memories of Diane and words of condolence for her family are welcome at resthavencolorado.com.